you can see the photos to prove t. the secret service is there as well. while psy is great at this, we do not know if the president can. he was bold enough to suggest that he thinks he can. mr. president, we are waiting. if simpson can do it, duke it too. the real reason is psy apologized for anti-american rap performance he did eight years ago. he had a chance to say say face to face with the president. stay tuned now for "newsroom international." welcome to quarter newsroom international." i'm suzanne malveaux. this is going on right now. millions mourning mexican-american superstar killed in a plane crash in mexico. she was known for her traditional style of music. take a listen. ♪

>> that is one of her biggest hits, why don't you try it? she released more than a dozen albums over her career and had 15 plalt numb and 5 double platinum report reasonable doubts. search crews are back to look for rivera's remains in that wreckage, six others also died in that crash. the plane crashed in a remote mountainous area in northern mexico near the city of monterrey. investigators don't know the cause yet, and raphael romo looks at awho this mexican-american superstar was to her fans and country. >> reporter: they called her diva, and for anyone who ever saw her on stage, it was easy to

see why. she sang heart-wrenching ballots that spoke to the common woman, especially mexican-american. >> reporter: every song, every lyric, i think of them and how to relate with them with my music. >> reporter: she was born in long beach, california to mexican parents, their story of many mexican immigrants of humble origins. in an interview in 2010, she spoke about how she sold music records on a los angeles flea market, and how the fact collected cans for the meager income they could bring in selling the metal. >> translator: it is flattering when they tell me i'm a great artist, great entertainer. when i'm on stage i can entertain the audience and get in the recording studio and come up with a great production. before all of that, i was a business woman. i'm primarily business minded. >> jenni rivera sold 15 million records and won two billboard music awards. she was a very successful

businesswoman. she started several of her own companies, including jenni rivera enterprises that produced and marketed her music and a tv production company. in october people in espanol named her on the list of the 25 most powerful women. she was famous for electrifying performances on stage, but her image was battered by scandal. a mother of five she married three times, but the relationships were rocky and caused her mush anguish and embarrassment. >> translator: staying dpeefeat and crying was not an option. i had to press on. that's what i want to teach my daughters. >> during her last interview saturday night she told mexican media she needed time to get emotional well. asked about her christmas plans she said i want to be with my family, but god only knows what's going to happen. >> raphael romo is joining us.

she really was an incredible woman and quite a figure. i mean, she really talked a lot about in very dcandid terms her own personal struggles. >> she was very powerful, and the reason she had so many followers especially among women in the mexican-american community and also in mexico because she was the kind of woman who would say u-you may think you're a big mexican macho, but i can have you eat from my hand in minutes. she spoke about empowering women and spoke about against domestic violence. those themes that resonated with the community, and if you watch an interview, a lot of times there had to be a lot of bleeping because she was not afraid to speak her mind exactly the way she felt about a thin. she was not afraid at all, and that's how she will be remembered, i think. >> i thought it was interesting, too. it was as recently as saturday i

read she was talking about experiencing pain and she's like any other woman. she's not any different. tell us how she influenced the audience with her music. >> she married three times and had five children. she became a mom at age 15. there was a lot of drama in her life. she made her life very much public. she was not afraid to do candid interviews in which she spoke about drama that she had just lived. you would see her talking about the problems that she had with a husband or a boyfriend, situations that her family lived through, problems with children. even a video, a sex tape that appeared a couple years ago that made headlines not only here in the united states but in mexico. it was just incredible, the amount of media that she generated. >> how did she got started? i understand her godfather was a composer? >> music runs in the family. her father, pedro, chs a

musician. she also has a brother that's very famous also in the mexican regional genre. she was very gifted not only in the musical talent but also at being able to market herself. you saw the video. she was just so very powerful. you would put her on her stage, and there was nobody who wanted to look away but to listen to her sing. >> i want to bring in our guest, one of the deejays who really enjoyed her music and knows her personally. joining us from dallas is raul, he's known as el primo in the airwaves. raul, tell us a little about what you know about her. i know that you met her when she first started out and attended her last concert in dallas. >> yeah. her last concert was sunday, october 28th. it was a complete sold out, and you know what also made news? she was one of the first artists

to ever sell out her concert before the concert. so all the presale was gone, you know, a couple of days before the show. >> raul, you want to jump in? >> it's raphael romo from cnn. i wanted to ask you, you had an opportunity to meet her, to be with her, to really get to know her on a personal level. so what's the thing that you're going to remember the most about her? >> definitely the most important thing is that jenni rivera before being an artist, she was real, you know. her passion for her fans, her love for her fans, that's what really got her through all the tough times. you guys were commenting earlier she's been divorced three times. i had the chance to interview her during her second divorce before 2003 when she got divorced. when i received her at the studio and at the station, i mean, i receive her like the way she is. she was a diva, you know.

i got some flowers. i got a tray of fruit for her. when i gave the flowers, i said, jenni, welcome to the show. she busted out in tears like any other woman would, and that's what really -- that's what i really remember of jenni. that's why she had so many fans all over mexico, united states, central and south america, because she was a real woman and she will express her feelings on stage, off stage, anywhere. >> and raul, what are your listeners saying about her this morning? >> they are devastated. we were covering the news yesterday when we heard about the plane not making it from monterrey to her destination. we were covering the news since early. everybody was in shock. this morning i woke up. i was in shock. i couldn't believe it. i he memean, it's just been a h- it's just been a hard few hours.

radio listeners, a lot of fans -- jenni rivera had true core hard core fans, and i mean, everybody is devastated. there's been some rumors of kidnapping, of, you know -- this is -- all of these are obviously not true. >> raul, thank you so much for bringing us obviously your listeners and the real story about her and how special she was and raphael as well. really kind of an extraordinary woman, someone who had a lot of attention but also was very much like anybody else really. >> that's right. she had an incredible ability it to connect with regular people. that's how she will be remembered. >> very talented. >> indeed. >> the president of south africa is trying to calm fears over the health of nelson mandela. he said he's doing well now and no cause for alarm. mandela is a symbol of hope and

freedom around the world. anything about his health causes concern. he's said to be undergoing tests that are consistent with his age. the iconic leader is 94. robin spoke recently with mandela's relatives in this exclusive interview. >> inside nelson mandela's home two of his granddaughters are rearranging family photographs. >> this is my favorite picture out of all of them. my grandfather looks really, really happy here. do you think these would go well here? >> putting up family pictures, intimate memories of times spent with their grandfather. >> this is where you catch him at his best. >> you catch the real nelson mandela? >> the real one. not the politician. not the world icon. nelson mandela the man, human being. >> the family member? >> exactly. >> mandela was surrounded by his large family when these pictures

were taken at his 94th birthday party. no doubt his loved ones are with him now, too, as he endures another health scare. on saturday mandela was flown from his rural home to a pretoria hospital for tests and medical attention say south african authorities. in recent years he's been in hospital for abdominal surgery and pneumonia, which his wife said had them all very worried. >> to see him ages, it's something that pains you. it's like you say -- you understand and you know it has to happen, but that's -- i mean, there's the spirit and sparkle. you see that it's -- somehow it's fading. >> back inside house, though, two other grandchildren say that mandela now sleeps much more, has struggled to walk unaided and often doesn't say very much. he must find it hard, someone with so much dignity and

self-control, getting so old and having to be dependent on other people. >> i think he takes it in stride. he's come to accept that this is part of growing old and it's part of humanity as such. at some point -- each and every one of us will depend on somebody else, and he's come to embrace it. >> nelson mandela spent decades fighting for freedom. now, older and weaker, his fight is against the march of time. >> she joins us from pretoria. officials are trying to reassure people. do we know what kinds of tests he's undergoing right now? >> reporter: the sun has just set here in preto her ya. it looks like nelson will spend a third night in this military hospital behind me.

no, we have no details on the nature of these tests. we don't know why he was flown by his doctors from his rural home in eastern cape region to pretoria, about a two-hour flight. we know the tests are ongoing, and the south after rickian president and the officials are trying to reassure the public and down-playing the latest health scare. the fact they don't give a lot of details creating a lot of speculation, perhaps fueling more concern and worry about how sick he is. >> do we have a sense of the way people are actually responding? i mean, you say there's more concern now, and he's a larger than life figure for so many people. what kinds of questions are they asking? >> reporter: you know, i recently spoke to graca mandel, and she used a wonderful phrase. mandela was like a glue to

differences, bridge to differences. it was his wise leadership, his calm sense of responsibility that literally ushered this nation into a democracy. so all races, white, black, young people, old people, across the economic divide, everybody has a very deep, emotional attachment to what mandela did for them and what he symbolizing. people are pragmatic. they know he's frail and 94. he hasn't been seen in public for over two years, to there is a sense and acceptance that just one day he won't be here. >> robin, thank you very much. we want to update you on any developments regarding his health and, of course, his struggle against aapartheid made him a hero. he was aa husband, father, grandfather, much, much more. i had a chance to travel to south aftrica and set down with

his former son-in-law to talk about what he means to the country and particularly to his family. >> we call him mutata. we always respect that he's the foundation of this nation. he gave us, you know, these principles of humanity. he was a foundation for the whole nation. he was able to come down, you kn know, the fire when south africa was about to explode, but he spoke a lot of sense to a lot of, you know, people that were angry about what had happened. ♪ happy birthday to you >> he's a father of the whole nation, and not only in south

africa but all over the world. he's that symbol of reconciliation. he taught the world that how important it is to be human, you know. so he's not only a father of south africa but a father of the whole world. >> mandela was awarded the nobel peace prize in 1993. he was elected president in 1994 just four years after he was released from prison. we wish him all the best in his health. outrage now building up over the tragic death of a nurse in britain who was tricked by a prank phone call from two australian deejays. the radio hosts are speaking out. an american doctor is safe after a daring rescue operation in afghanistan, but sadly a navy s.e.a.l. gave his life to make that happen. a girl from one of the poorest places on earth has emerged as

one of the best chess players in the world. my new treadmill app. pretty sweet, huh? cute. but don't you have any apps on your phone that can make your life easier? who do you think i am, quicken loans? at quicken loans, we'll provide you with myql mobile. this amazingly useful app allows you to take pictures of your mortgage documents using an iphone or android smart phone... so you can easily send them to us. one more way quicken loans is engineered to amaze. ooh, la-la! one more way quicken loans is engineered to amaze. social security are just numbers thinkin a budget.d... well, we worked hard for those benefits. we earned them. and if washington tries to cram decisions about the future... of these programs into a last minute budget deal...

we'll all pay the price. aarp is fighting to protect seniors with responsible... solutions that strengthen medicare and... social security for generations to come. we can do better than a last minute deal... that would hurt all of us. that would hurt all of us. wooohooo....hahaahahaha! oh...there you go. wooohooo....hahaahahaha! i'm gonna stand up to her! no you're not. i know. you know ronny folks who save hundreds of dollars switching to geico sure are happy. how happy are they jimmy? happier than a witch in a broom factory. get happy. get geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more.

♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] everyone deserves the gift of all day pain relief. this season, discover aleve. all day pain relief with just two pills. [ male announcer ] when diarrhea hits, kaopectate stops it fast. powerful liquid relief speeds to the source. fast. [ male announcer ] stop the uh-oh fast with kaopectate.

a radio show has been canceled after the death of a hospital nurse. last week they pretended on the phone to be queen elizabeth and prince charles to find out the condition of katherine, duchess of cambridge, in the hospital. the nurse who transferred the call through the ward was found dead after an apparent suicide. the cause the death is still listed as unexplained. these deejays and we heard them and saw them. they're pretty despondent. they take responsibility for this woman's death. >> they apologize if they did lead to the death, but nobody knows what her states of mind was. they're very, very apologetic. they didn't expect it to go this way obviously. the interviews on two shows were quite emotional. we have a sound bite actually. let's play them. >> let's listen up. >> shattered, gutted,

heart-broken and obviously, you know, our deepest sympathies are with the families and the friends of all those affected. you know, obviously, we are incredibly sorry for the situation and what's happened. we hope they're doing okay and getting the love and support they deserve and need right now. personally i'm -- got t. >> yeah. it's emotional. both of them were in tears at various points in the interview. you can imagine. they thought they were just playing a harmless joke, and look what happened. >> so is this tape cal of their radio station? do they normally pull pranks or the first time they've done something like in. >> this sort of thing does happen around the world, but

this particular radio station has been known for years to do stupid things and cruel things in some cases. there was a memorable one of a girl who had just done her final exams in high school and was named as the top student in the state. so they call her up and pretend -- not these guys but someone else from the radio station. they're from the board of education and said there was a mistake and she did badly. they had one girl on and put her on a lie detector 14 years old and asked about her sex life. she gets raem upset and turns out she was raped at 12. this sort of thing, object seven at this times and they had a porn star on one sometime. another one is carl sanderson, controversial on the radio station. a female journalist wrote a negative story about her, and et cetera esd he was going to get her. >> what happens to the radio station and these two deejays? is there an investigation? >> scotland yard in britain is

investigating, and they've spoken to australian police to pull together their investigation. we expect the coroner's court decision to come out or the coroner to make a statement today, actually. the company -- we have a comment from the company. they say first and foremost we'd like to express our deep and sincere con dolenesss to the family for the lost and we're sorry for what happened. we don't claim to be perfect and we always strive to do better. we have initiated a detailed and rigorous review of our policy procedures to inform any improvement that is we can make. you know, this just virally in the twitter and facebook world, these guys were just vis rated in the hours after this. 21,000 negative posts on their facebook page. now two thirds of australians according to a poll saying we can't blame them for the death. we don't know what was going on. >> what about the nurse's family? what about her family? >> been surprisingly quiet actually. the sister spoke out and just expressed the horror of it, and

also alluded to that she's of indian heritage and that this would have been an issue of shame for her to have done this, to have put the calls through and thinking it was the queen. that may have contributed. of course, no one knows exactly yet, but two children are without their mother. >> it's just tragic all around. michael, thank you. appreciate it. nobody wants to back down here. egyptian protestors are camped out. the president has his army standing ready. an aid to moem hamed more sis spoke about the upheaval. ♪ becoming part of the global phenomenon we call the internet of everything. ♪ trees will talk to networks will talk to scientists about climate change. cars will talk to road sensors will talk to stoplights about traffic efficiency.

the ambulance will talk to patient records will talk to doctors about saving lives. it's going to be amazing. and exciting. and maybe, most remarkably, not that far away. the next big thing? we're going to wake the world up. ♪ and watch, with eyes wide, as it gets to work. ♪ cisco. tomorrow starts here.

syria's new opposition will brief european foreign ministers today on the worsening crisis. new images show jihadists taking over a key army base in aleppo province today. a watchdog group said the take-over was a major blow to the assad regime because this was the last military base west of aleppo city still under army control. they say a political solution is still possible, even though the situation he says is bad and

getting worse. his comments follow the weekend talks in gentlemeva with russia well as u.s. officials. egypt's president has begin the army authority to arrest people and protect government buildings as the nation is preparing to vote in weekend on a controversial draft constitution. what is happening in cairo? protestors and supporters of the president have been camped out around the palace for days. opposition groups are calling for nationwide protest this is week leading up to saturday's vote. president morsi's chief of staff blames the uprising on a small but powerful group of business and media elites. he tells cnn that the vote the on the country's constitution will not be held up. >> the question of delays the vote for the constitution is it not possible. if the people in the streets believe they command the majority, why don't they go and say no?

>> they don't necessarily believe they command the majority. they don't like the process by which this constitution was drafted. >> in any democracy there is a rule, the rule of majority. >> opponents say that the proposed constitution was just slapped together in one day, and over the weekend morsi did strike down part of this decree that gave him basically unchecked powers. a navy s.e.a.l. loses his life during a daring rescue now. he was part of the same elite unit that took place in the raid that killed osama bin laden. we have more from the pentagon just in a moment. i feel so alone. but you're not alone. i knew you'd come. like i could stay away. you know i can't do this without you. you'll never have to. you're always there for me. shh! i'll get you a rental car. i could also use an umbrella. fall in love with progressive's claims service.

oh, let me guess --ou see this? more washington gridlock. no, it's worse -- look, our taxes are about to go up. not the taxes on our dividends though, right? that's a big part of our retirement. oh, no, it's dividends, too. the rate on our dividends would more than double. but we depend on our dividends to help pay our bills. we worked hard to save. well, the president and congress have got to work together to stop this dividend tax hike. before it's too late.

how they'll live tomorrow. for more than 116 years, ameriprise financial has worked for their clients' futures. helping millions of americans retire on their terms. when they want. where they want. doing what they want. ameriprise. the strength of a leader in retirement planning. the heart of 10,000 advisors working with you one-to-one. together for your future. ♪ together for your future. try running four.ning a restaurant is hard, fortunately we've got ink. it gives us 5x the rewards on our internet, phone charges and cable, plus at office supply stores. rewards we put right back into our business. this is the only thing we've ever wanted to do and ink helps us do it. make your mark with ink from chase.

this special forces team goes on a daring mission to rescue an american doctor abducted in afghanistan. they saved him and lost one of their own. you know this unit. it is s.e.a.l. team 6. they carried out the raid that killed osama bin laden. chris lawrence is covering the story from the pentagon.

talk about what this rescue miss was all about, and i understand that you also have the identity of the s.e.a.l. who was killed. >> yeah, he we do, suzanne. we just learned that he was petty offer first class nicholas check. he was 28 years old and enlisted in the navy about a year after the aattacks on september 11th. almost immediately he started to train in special warfare operations and started to deploy to iraq and afghanistan where he earned numerous medals. he was from pennsylvania, and again, he was part of that naval special warfare development group, which is commonly known as s.e.a.l. team 6. >> give us a sense of the whole abduction and the rescue mission. what was behind this? >> well, there are conflicting stories. the u.s. forces in afghanistan are saying this is a taliban operation, while some of our afghan sources, some local leaders are saying these were smugglers.

either way, this doctor, dr. joseph was working with afghan counterparts. he works for a nonprofit charity organization. they were out last wednesday visiting a rural clinics, and they were on their way back to headquarters in kabul when armed men basically stopped their vehicle and ordered them out and kidnapped them. after the charity was going back and forth, contacting some of the kidnappers, eventually the two afghan men were released. u.s. forces got word from the ground and from surveillance that dr. joseph was in eminent danger, and that's when they made the call to send in the s.e.a.l. team 6 to try to get him out. they did. he is safe. he's being debriefed. he'll probably be back home in the next couple days, but unfortunately petty officer check who was part of the team was killed. >> i know the doctor's family is speaking out offering their condolences. they thanked everybody involved in this.

what are they saying? >> the outpouring is tremendous from president obama to secretary panetta to the doctor's family. let me read you a statement they released. we're incredibly grateful for the multiple agencies of the u.s. government that supported us in this difficult time and especially the quick response by our military and partner allies to rescue delip. they showed great heroism and professionalism. we've seen rescue attempts like this before. they do not always turn out well. earlier in year four aid workers were rescued in part of afghanistan, but over the last few years we've seen a scottish aid worker killed in a fail rescue attempt, an afghan journalist who was working with "the new york times" also killed in a failed attempt. these are risky missions sometimes. in this case the doctor was rescued and ehe'll come home wih his family. unfortunately a navy s.e.a.l. was killed. >> they're real heroes.

thank you, chris. appreciate it. venezuela's president is doing his business to reassure the country he's going to be okay. ♪ >> hugo chavez is back in cuba for surgery. his absence is is raising questions about who actually is going to run venezuela while he's gone. but you're progressive, and they're them. yes. but they're here. yes. are you...? there? yes. no. are you them? i'm me. but those rates are for... them. so them are here. yes! you want to run through it again? no, i'm good. you got it? yes. rates for us and them -- now that's progressive. call or click today.

social security are just numbers thinkin a budget.d... well, we worked hard for those benefits. we earned them. and if washington tries to cram decisions about the future... of these programs into a last minute budget deal... we'll all pay the price. aarp is fighting to protect seniors with responsible... solutions that strengthen medicare and... social security for generations to come. we can do better than a last minute deal... that would hurt all of us.

leaders are celebrating today with the nobel peace prize. they awarded $1.2 million prize to the 27-nation bloc in october. they say the group has turned europe from a continent of war to a continent of peace in the six decades following world war ii. not everyone thinks the award is justified. there are some critics that are angry about how the eu handle

the crisis. italy markets plunged at news that the italian prime minister plans to step down later this month. he's going to wait until the national budget is passed, but investors are concerned about how it might affect the country's high levels of the debt. it means the former prime minister that led office after corruption allegations could make a comeback. i want to get a look at stocks right here, how they are doing. up 33 points. looking at the dow jones, pretty good read so far. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 when i'm trading, i'm so into it, tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 hours can go by before i realize tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 that i haven't even looked away from my screen. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 that kind of focus... tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 that's what i have when i trade. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 and the streetsmart edge trading platform from charles schwab...

tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 ...helps me keep an eye on what's really important to me. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 it's packed with tools that help me work my strategies, tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 spot patterns and find opportunities more easily. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 then, when i'm ready... act decisively. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 i can even access it from the cloud and trade on any computer. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 with the exact same tools, the exact same way. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 and the reality is, with schwab mobile, tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 i can focus on trading anyplace, anytime... tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 ...until i choose to focus on something else. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 trade at schwab for $8.95 a trade. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 open an account and trade tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 up to 6 months commission-free online equity trading tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 with a $50,000 deposit. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 call 1-800-786-7803 tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 and a trading specialist tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 will help you get started today. i have a cold, and i took nyquil, but i'm still "stubbed" up. [ male announcer ] truth is, nyquil doesn't unstuff your nose. what? [ male announcer ] it doesn't have a decongestant. no way. [ male announcer ] sorry. alka-seltzer plus fights your worst cold symptoms plus has a fast acting decongestant to relieve your stuffy nose.

[ sighs ] thanks! [ male announcer ] you're welcome. that's the cold truth! [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus. ♪ oh what a relief it is! ♪ [ male announcer ] to learn more about the cold truth and save $1 visit alka-seltzer on facebook.

look at live pictures here, president obama's plane arriving

in redford, michigan. you can see the crowd awaiting his speech as well. he's there to tour the diesel plant. at the top of the hour he's expected to deliver remarks on the economy and the middle class and, of course, making his case, taking it directly to the american people about the need for 98% of americans not to get a tax increase. the top 2% is pushing in negotiations with republicans to actually have those tax cuts expire and to have those tax rates go up for the wealthiest americans. taking it directly to the people as he brings his entourage and message to detroit. football, big monday morning talker, but today the world is watching a certain soccer star in barcelona. amanda davis looks at how messe is turns heads and break word roerdz. >> it's a matter of time, but me messi has done it.

broken the goal scoring record that stood for four decades. he's rewriting headlines with his magical performances in front of goal, and now he's written his place firmly into the record books. he's been breaking the hearts of football fans around the world with his match-winning abilities for barcelona and argentina. now messi has broken the record for the most goals scored in a calendar year. back in november he passed pele's total of 75 goals he scored in 1958. then it was just the great muller standing in his way with the 85 scores he scored in 1972. but now it's messi's target that's the benchmark for players for years to come. he scored more goals than entire teams like liverpool and milan. he's done something that others

never managed. >> he doesn't like to be compared to it, because every time they say you are like marono, and obviously you say that because you didn't see him play. he doesn't like comparisons, but obviously he's going to be in history books in the future. >> there's not many certainties in life, but at just 25 years of age, you can be pretty sure there's plenty more to come from messi. not just goals but silverware as well as. it would take a betting man to bet against him next month. amanda davis, cnn, london. you're looking at the air force one there, the door open. we are waiting for the president to walk down the stairs. he's going to be arriving in detroit, michigan. he's going to be speaking at an auto plant there to talk about the need for the two sides to

come together, the white house and members of congress, to avoid the fiscal cliff. taking his message directly to the american people. we'll have more after the break. people have doubts about taking aspirin for pain. but they haven't experienced extra strength bayer advanced aspirin. in fact, in a recent survey, 95% of people who tried it agreed that it relieved their headache fast. visit fastreliefchallenge.com today for a special trial offer.

so all of you do. yes, for sure. now what's better? being able to shoot two lasers out of both of your eyes at the same time or just one laser out of one eye? [ all kids ] two! [ moderator ] okay, why? if it's just one beam -- okay, it does a little bit of damage. two beams -- it will make something explode! and that's more fun? yeah! and it's more powerful you're saying? yeah! [ male announcer ] it's not complicated. doing two things at once is better. and only at&t's network lets you talk and surf on your iphone 5. ♪

looking at pictures there of president obama with a crowd. this is in detroit, michigan. he just stepped off of air force one and he's greeting folks on the tarmac. they're taking pictures. this is part of the campaign to reach out to the american people to make his case about the need to avoid going over the fiscal cliff and what his solution to that is. that would require that the top 2% of americans pay higher taxes. that is something he's been talking with republicans in congress about and believes is nonnegotiable. shaking hands there, and we're looking at the venue as well. that's where he's going to be speaking at the auto plant at the top of the hour. also saw the president last night at the christmas in washington charity concert in

d.c. that event was hosted by conan o'brien and featured the legendary diana ross and psy, who was greeted by the president. the president did not attempt psy's signature dance, gangnam style. they were talking yesterday, but the president did suggest he thinks he can do it. he thinks he can do that dance. we're going to see if that actually ever happens. there was some controversy, however. psy apologizing on friday for anti-american rap performance he did eight years ago. it all seems to be patched up and worked out now. also want to tell you about this extraordinary girl. she was living in one of the poorest places on earth, a slm in uganda. she discovered chess and turns out to a progidy. she inspired a documentary and book.

fiona and her chess coach actually spoke with josh leves. >> before i discovered chess i was living in a hard life where he was sleeping on the streets and you didn't have anything to eat in the streets. so that's when i decided for my brother to get a couple for it, and that's when i started learning chess. >> because there was an area in which if you went and learned chess, you could get a bowl of porridge to feed you and your brother. you saw people playing chess. hu ever seen it before? did you know what ffs? >> no, i hadn't. it was my first time to play chess. >> robert, let me ask you, what is about phiona? is she a prodigy. you discovered something in her about her chess skills you hadn't seen before. >> i come to believe she has an

extra natural talent, which is extraordinary. we've been able to go to the high profile kind of tournaments or the olympiad, which we never thought of even being at. >> i sat there playing against girls and boys. then i started beating the boys. when i play chess, i'm not afraid. they know that i can win. >> what happened after you started to show your ability for xhes? how did your life change? >> i thought that the life i was living in there, everyone was living in that life. now i see many people living a different life. so i think chess is made for that, and it has given me an opportunity to go back to school. chess gives me hope, where by now i have he a hope of becoming

a doctor and i'm having a hope of becoming a grandmaster. >> robert, does phiona's story show chess can help lift kids out of slums all over the world? >> absolutely, because it teaches you how to assess and make decisions, thinking, forecasts, endurance, and looking the at the challenges with the opportunities. >> by the way, what's it like to be in america, to be in new york? how was the trip? >> i've not liked new york because there's so much noise. >> she's fantastic. learn more about her amazing story at cnn.com. hugo chavez says his cancer is back. we'll find out what it means for the president of venezuela as well as for his country. ♪ from jammin' jerk chicken, to creamy gouda bisque. see what's new from campbell's. it's amazing what soup can do.

military families face, we understand. at usaa, we know military life is different. we've been there. that's why every bit of financial advice we offer is geared specifically to current and former military members and their families. [ laughs ] dad! dad! [ applause ] ♪ [ male announcer ] life brings obstacles. usaa brings advice. call or visit us online. we're ready to help. it's lots of things. all waking up. connecting to the global phenomenon we call the internet of everything. ♪ it's going to be amazing.

and exciting. and maybe, most remarkably, not that far away. we're going to wake the world up. and watch, with eyes wide, as it gets to work. cisco. tomorrow starts here. at the chevy year-end event because chevy's giving more. more efficiency with sonic and cruze... more function in equinox and traverse... more dependability with the legendary silverado... and more style in the all-new malibu. chevy's giving more at the year-end event because 'tis the season. chevy's giving more. this holiday season, get a 2013 cruze ls for around $149 per month or get $500 holiday bonus cash.

north korea says it might take longer to launch a controversial long-range robert.

pyongyang has extended the launch window until december 29th because of technical problems with an engine. the u.s. and south korea are condemning the north's second launch attempt this year. an earlier one in april actually failed. the u.s. and south korea said the launch say cover for ballistic testing. hugo chavez is back in cuba for cancer surgery. he left carraacas earlier this morning. he's previously undergone surgery and radiation therapy before declaring himself cancer-free. that happened back in july. before leaving chavez spoke publicly about his health. >> translator: unfortunately, this is how i'm telling the country. in that overall checkup malignant cells show up in the same infected area. we have to review the diagnostic, the evolution of the treatment and we have had to check with experts and have decided that it's absolutely necessary and it is absolutely

essential to undergo another surgery. >> venezuela's national assembly unanimously approved the president's request to travel, but much of the country is divided over his would be successor. opponents question whether or not mr. chavez is now fit to lead. supporters say any such questions are an attempt to politicize the president's illness. we'll bring in patrick ottman in havana. hugo is clear anything happens it is the vice president who will succeed him. what do we know about chavez's sta state and the man that would take over? >> he arrived in havana earlier this morning and was expected to go into emergency surgery shortly after arriving here. hugo chavez said that doctors in cuba wanted to operate on him, suzanne, on friday, and hugo chavez is known to do here didn't follow doctor's orders. instead he decided to return to

venezuela, make this surprise announcement late saturday. essentially put his political house in order before returning here to deal with health issues. that announcement was stunning and caught a lot about surprise at a time when i was speaking live on tv in venezuela and here in cuba. as well, he talked about his illness in a way he hadn't before. he talked about the physical effect it's having on him, the incredible amount of discomfort he feels and he named his successor vice president, nicholas medoro who is not only his vice president but foreign minister and throughout his long career has been a bus driver and a union leader. it's ain it's not a complete surprise, but chavez has not signaled who will follow him, and now he has. he pointed to the person that he wants all his supporters to throw their weight behind and elect if hugo chavez is

sidelined, is rendered incapable as president. he's essentially preparing venezuela and the region for without hugo chavez, and that is significant, suzanne. >> thank you very much. we appreciate it. second hour. officials say he's doing well and there's no cause for alarm, but mandela is 94 years old and a bit frail.

as for president obama he's visiting a detroit plant na makes dice sell truck engines. he's going to talk about the economy and fiscal cliff within the hour. we'll go to that live. first to florida. that's where we learn new details about a long running mystery. in the town marianna and they have found more grave sites on the grounds a school that closed last century. nobody knows how many boys may be buried there and what abuse he suffer the at that school. ed lavandera spent years investigating the story, and he has the details. >> a mystery haunting the ground of this now defunct school for boys in marianna involving teenage boys sent here decades ago, some never seen again. in recent years former students in "twilight" years have come forward with horrific stories of punishing aaabuse doled out by

school leaders and friends that vanished, stories told by cnn. they accused former school leaders of beatings, sexual abuse and even murder. which brings us to this cemetery on the school's grounds. the bodies of 31 boys are buried here. florida authorities claim they know how all the boys died, some killed in a fire and symptom in a flu epidemic and nothing criminal. other research shows other bodies could be buried in this area too, and dozens say that's proof of a more sinister story hidden the in the woods. back in the early 1960s the leader had a local boy scout troop come in here and clean ip the cemetery. they put up 31 crosses, but now a team of anthropologists over the last year has been going through all of this area, cleared out all of the woods out here. they find the possibility of many more grave shafts, which is leading to the mystery of what happened here.

untangling the story may be lost to it time. the school closed last year. these events happened from the 1940s to 1960s. most of the school leaders from then have died. a research project led by university of south florida anthropologist erin kimberly turned up evidence of additional grave sites during months of searching the school grounds. kimberly says as many as 18 more bodies could be buried here and that the research team believes a second cemetery could be hidden on the school grounds. >> we've got something right there. >> we found burials within the marked cemetery, and then we found burials that extend beyond that. >> kimberly has traveled the world investigating war crimes for the united nations, searching for mass graves in places like using slav ya and peru. >> have you done just this area, or all of if? >> all of it. >> they used high-tech equipment to scan into the ground.

the red suggests the location of possible grave sites, but wet won't know for sure unless exhume magss are order. florida state officials won't comment until they review her findings. >> these are children who came here and died for one reason or another and quite literally have been lost in the woods. it's about restoring dignity and helping -- if not putting a name to them, at least marking them and acknowledging they're here. >> the ant paul gist studied historic documents and public records and discovered a disturbing discrepancy, boys unaccounted for. >> this was about the last pictures we had of him. >> her brother was sent here in 1940. she said owen smith dreamed of playing guitar at the grand ole opry in nashville. he had a musician's soul. he was shipped to reform school for stealing a car. she never saw him again. her family was told owen had run way. she still has a letter sent by the school superintendent more than 70 years ago.

>> we have been unable to get any information concerning his whereabouts. we would appreciate you notifying us immediately if you receive any word. she believes her brother was already dead. a few weeks later his family was told his decomposed body was found under a house near the school. >> they think he crawled under there to try and keep warm and he got pneumonia and died, and that was their official cause of death, was death from pneumonia and exposure. >> was that based on anything scientific or any kind of autopsy? >> huh-uh. >> she says another student told them a far different story. >> he looked back, and my brother was running out across a field, an open field. there was three men shooting at him with rifles. i believe to this day that they shot my brother that night. i think they probably killed him. they brought him back to the school and buried him. >> against the family's wishes,

owen smith was buried on the school grounds. she's never figured out exactly where. no one was ever charged in his death back in 1941, but because of that case, along with other accounts of alleged abuse, beatings and killings, the florida state law enforcement agency launched an investigation in 2008. its report concluded there was no evidence to suggest that any of the deceased died as a result of criminal conduct. the agency also said it couldn't find evident to prove claims of criminal or sexual abuse at the school. many former students say that report is a whitewashed cover-up. state officials say they stand by the report's findings. >> i'm mad at the state, yes. i'm angry at the state because they let this go on for 68 years and did nothing about it. >> he says he was beaten with a leather strap, and that some school leaders killed young boys and made thim disappear. >> it is important to find all of the boys that were buried there. i mean, they're practically

calling out of their graves crying out, help, remember me. >> ed lavandera is joining us from dallas. this is an extraordinary story, ed. what happens next? >> well, this is a story we've been following for several years now. this is kind of following it up. the state of florida is actually trying to sell it that property where this school sat, but that sale has now been stopped. family members of former students have gotten -- have gone through the legal process to halt that sale temporarily until they can figure out where all these grave sites might be, and then trying to identify these bodies. that would require a lot of these families to begin asking for exhume magss to begin that process. it's not a given that all of these grave shafts that were found actually have bodies in them. there's signs that these are

groo grave sites, but we don't know what's inside of that. it adds to the mystery and uncertainly surrounding what happened at the school many decades ago. >> obviously, some families don't have the answers they're looking for. what do they do now? >> well, i think it all kind of goes back to the florida department -- the florida department of law enforcement that originally put out this report back in 2008 that kind of put a lot of -- dampened the spirits of a lot of people following this closely. we went to them asking them to get their reaction to newly released details. they told us they wouldn't have any comment until they had a chance to review the findings themselves. i think over the next couple of weeks and perhaps months we get a better sense of where it goes now. people are trying to get a sense of what these new findings mean and what it could mean for any future investigations. >> all right. ed lavandera thank you very much. breaking news out of syria as the white house is getting ready to designate some of the rebel groups on the ground as

terrorists saying they may actually have a link to al qaeda. we'll have more after the break. there's a health company that can help you stay that way. what's healthier than that? (announcer) when subaru owners look in the mirror, they see more than themselves. so we celebrate our year-end with the "share the love" event. get a great deal on a new subaru and 250 dollars goes to your choice of five charities. by the end of this, our fifth year, our total can reach almost 25 million dollars. it's a nice reflection on us all.

now through january 2nd. and with my bankamericard cash rewards credit card, i love 'em even more. i earn 1% cash back everywhere, every time. 2% on groceries. 3% on gas. automatically. no hoops to jump through. that's 1% back on... [ toy robot sounds ] 2% on pumpkin pie. and apple. 3% back on 4 trips to the airport. it's as easy as... -[ man ] 1... -[ woman ] 2... [ woman ] 3. [ male announcer ] the bankamericard cash rewards card. apply online or at a bank of america near you.

[ male announcer ] when diarrhea hits, kaopectate stops it fast. powerful liquid relief speeds to the source. fast. [ male announcer ] stop the uh-oh fast with kaopectate. we have breaking news out of

syria. i understand the white house is now looking at one of these groups within the rebels in syria as a potential terrorist organization. what do you know? >> reporter: the front we may have heard of in the past, a radical part of the rebels fighting against the regime in steer ya responsible for suicide bombings and also successes rebels have had. according to a notice in the federal register published today, tomorrow that group will be considered another name for al qaeda in iraq. remember that group from about five years ago. a key part of al qaeda linked iraqi insurgency. that affected the syrian rebel group inside syria, a terrorist group. that's enormously important, because while it may not affect things particularly on the ground right nous, because the u.s. isn't about to start arming rebel groups, it does mean in the future this particular organization where you see these military successes are radical in ideology in many ways but are

seen by many syrians as the most effective part of the rebel organization. they'll become a terrorist organization, meaning the u.s. can't really deal with them, can't really form or encourage them to form part of governmental structures or support they give syria in the future and it will severely conflict how they deal with this radical path. >> we have heard from the president and we have heard from the secretary of state, both of them previously expressing how complicated the situation is on the ground. that they are not necessarily sure that they know who all these people are, the rebels fighting against the syrian government. so what does this group r represent? how do they distinguish who to support on the ground and who not to? >> reporter: in many video they care black flags, disciplined and well armed and effective. she swarm bases quite easily and are effective in the battlefield. according to this designation from the u.s. government, thef

great, strong dies to al qaeda and iraq and many reports on the ground suggest many fighters were five years ago killing american soldiers in iraq or trying to do so. that's the complication for the u.s. government. certainly, u.s. data suggests that about 1 in 10 rebels on the ground may have some kind of affiliation. so big enough to be a problem but not big enough to represent the majority at all. this is the issue going forward. these people are increasingly in the eyes of syrians almost their war heroes to some description because they're experiencing success and victory on the battle field. the problem for the u.s. is when you want to start to fund the armed opposition or start assisting the political opposition in the future once the assad regime has fallen, how do you shore up that contradiction? on one side you have a group that's successful and part of what the rebels see as success, but at the same time they're also terrorists under many rules you said yourself. >> nick, explain for us. what does this mean for

president bashar al assad's argument that these are terrorist organizations attacking the government facilitie facilities? does this give his argument any credence? >> reporter: the problem is unfortunately he was calling military rebels terrorists, he was referring to secular and moderates attacking him. it was their way to brand the entire insurgency as terrorist. it hands an ideal propaganda victory to him in my ways. for quite some time the u.s. suggested part of the rebels were linked to al qaeda. this crystallizes that, and it will be a boon or al assad. >> it certainly does give weight and explanation for the white house argument, the reason they have not gopten more involved in actually arming and supporting those rebels on the groubd in syria. very complicated situation. nick payton walsh, thank you

very much. president obama promoting his plan to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff. he's taking his message to the american people. he landed in detroit a couple of minutes ago. he's going to talk to workers at the detroit diesel corporation shortly. they make diesel engines. we'll bring you the president's remarks live as soon as they start. they met back in 1977, but the relationship was considered taboo until now. we'll take with jane and penny about becoming the first same sex couple to get their marriage license in washington states. ♪

♪ [ male announcer ] campbell's green bean casserole. it's amazing what soup can do

celebrating and tieing the knot, same-sex couples gather to say i do to make uns legal. folks in maryland and maine have to wait a few weeks, but the new law in washington state went into effect on thursday. after a three-day waiting period here come the weddings. the next guests have made

history. they were the first couple to get their marriage license in king county, washington and join us live. first of all, you guys have been together for 35 years. that's an accomplishment in and of itself. what is it like to finally be married? >> i'm sorry? >> tell us, what is it like to finally be married? >> oh, awesome. it's just unbelievable, too. we never thought this day would come, but it's wonderful. it's just different now. last night we were looking at 3,000 people watching us get married, and today we're listening to you. >> it's just wonderful. >> tell us a little bit about your years together, and how has the pe sepgs of same-sex couples changed? describe the early days? >> the early days people were very hidden and undered radar, including us. the coming out process has been very long and slow and

progressive. we were in professional jobs, and we helped -- we raised a child together. we did all the things that ordinary people do, but we were very discrete and had house parties, et cetera. it wasn't until about the last ten years, 12 years that things really began to change, and we've seen a gradual move towards this. in washington state through domestic partnership legislation and then on to marriage equality. it is a joyous time. >> how has it changed your lives together? >> it hasn't changed too much except for the fact that we know now that we are legal, and we have a chance now that if either one of us gets sick or in the hospital or needing to get something done legally, that we are now married and approved and everybody understands a marriage license. hotels, restaurants, what have

you. it's just a great joy. i'm very proud of the state of washington for the voters who made it possible. >> it's a very secure feeling, but the other part of it is that some people don't think about the state's sanctioning one's personal relationship, which is a wonderful feeling. >> who do you credit for this change, for this turn-around? is it the people in washington state? is it the president when he first said he supported same-sex marriage? do you think there was a pivotal moment that actually really turned things? >> no. i think there's a number of things, and i just couldn't rattle them off. it's a progressive happening with lots of people working behind the scenes. in washington state we had several key legislators who built bridges over the years and worked and reached across the aisle, democrats to republicans, and made that -- helped make that happen by accrual in washington state. across the country all different

kinds of things are happening in different ways, and watching public opinion change along with those happenings is -- >> yeah. >> sure. >> it took really about 20 years in this state for people to really get into the fact that the legislators worked tirelessly and it's really been -- >> is there more work to be done? i know the state recognizes the marriage, but when it comes to a federal level, you don't have federal benefits like health insurance and pensions. that is something that is crossing state borders you would not be able it to enjoy. >> absolutely. until the defensive marriage act is repealed, we still have lots of fences up. >> we have high hopes. >> what do you make of the fact that the supreme court is now getting involved? they say they're going to take on this issue as part of the docket. >> well, we were hoping that

proposition 8 would have been refused by the high court and then turned back to the circuit court, because then it would have been reinstated or i should say, you know, marriage would be possible in california. but they're going to hear it, and that's probably a good thing, too. but the defense of marriage act is under review, will be under review by the high court. what we heard yesterday is probably not until march. at least they have agreed to hear it. that's hopeful. >> all right. 35 years together and married. congratulations. we appreciate your time. some critics say the environmental protection agency should go away. we talk to the head lisa jackson. that interview is up next. >> we should regulate smartly and shouldn't be on pressive. we should be smart about it, but we shouldn't go away. [ male announcer ] you are a business pro.

governor of getting it done. you know how to dance... with a deadline. and you...rent from national. because only national lets you choose any car in the aisle... and go. you can even take a full-size or above, and still pay the mid-size price. this is awesome. [ male announcer ] yes, it is, business pro. yes, it is. go national. go like a pro.

yes, it is. it's part of what you slove about her.essing. but your erectile dysfunction - you know, that could be a question of blood flow. cialis tadalafil for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment's right. you can be more confident in your ability to be ready. and the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat ed and symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently or urgently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medications, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision,

or if you have any allergic reactions such as rash, hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about cialis for daily use and a 30-tablet free trial. fiscal cliff, not a laughing

matter unless on "snl," of course. this is the version of the agreement reached between the president and house speaker. check it out. >> we'd like to announce that we have reached an agreement to avoid the fiscal cliff. in order to get the support of the speaker, i agree there would be no tax increases. i relate, zero tax increases. now why would i do that? i mean, i won the election. i had the leverage. why give in? well, simply put, i felt sorry for this man. >> all right. speculation is in full swing over the president's choices to fill his cabinet for the second term. among the position it's true. this is emily schmidt looking atted leading contenders and the potential challenges they face. >> reporter: a late november white house photo op. >> this is a wonderful opportunity for me to meet with my full cabinet.

>> maybe the last grims of this picture, an eminent cabinet shuffle is expected. >> the president has got a lot of very, very good people to choose from. he wants to put together a team especially in international affairs, a team overall that going into a second term does not look like a second team, does not look like a group of second stringers. >> the likely short list to succeed secretary of state hillary clinton is politically charged. susan rice is thought to be a leading contenders, but some republicans were highly critical of rice following the aattack on the u.s. consulate in libya. >> when they go after the u.n. ambassador because they think she's an easy target, then they have a problem with me. >> senator mccain. >> thank you very much, mr. secretary. >> senator john mccain jockingly gave the cabinet post nod to democrat john kerry.

>> i think jeong kerry would be an excellent appointment and would be easily confirmed by his colleagues. >> kerry is also listed as a potential defense secretary to replace leon panetta. it's a list that includes michelle fornoy with the number three job at the pentagon. ashton carter is on the list and former nebraska senator chuck hagel on a republican could represent a reach across the aisle. >> we're in a much stronger position today as a country than we were in '07. >> treasury secretary tim geithner has said he will stay at his post until at least inauguration. his chief of stat jack lieu is named as an replace am. they skwed if people thought president obama would pick good cabinet members. 58% said they thought he would, 42% said he would not. emily schmidt, cnn, washington. one cabinet member on the president teems of advisers since the very beginning, epa administrator lisa jack sorn had

a chance to talk with her one on one friday night after an event that i moderated by the environmental group captain planet foundation here in atlanta. we started off talking about the importance of the epa, the efforts by some republicans to actually get rid of the agency. >> if you ask the average american, are you for it, what does it mean to live in america, part of what they say is i have clean water and air to breathe. i have a right to go to my govlt p if i think there's contamination in my xunt and have it cleaned up. >> in a lot of folks you have folks like newt gingrich who say the epa, get rid of it. these are job killers and regulators, and this is bad for business. how do you confront republicans like newt gingrich who still put that out there and says, look, i don't know the agency should exist? >> well, i start by disagreeing and saying that's not where the american people are. you know, moms across the country speak up right now saying we need stronger standards for soot in our

country because we're in the process of setting that. we did a mercury standard last year. it was 21 years in the making under the clean air act, and the results were overwhelming. we did a proposed rule to deal with greenhouse gases from new power plants. we got 3 million comments largely in favor. i think it's easy to say. i think right now the american people want their government to be efficient. they don't want it to waste money. they want to know they get something when you have a regulatory agency. we should regulate smartly. we shouldn't be oppressive. we should be smart about it, but we shouldn't go way. >> you deal with making the environment cleaner and better from a government's he perspective. how do you attract businesses and money and private investment into climate change and protecting the environment? >> well, i think they need certainty. what i hear from businesses is -- i've been doing this almost 23 years. we need certainty. we want to invest or money, but we want to know the rules aren't going to change. if carbon pollution is a bad

thing, which we know we need to control it, that i'm not going to be disadvantaged because i'm clean. in fact, it would be great if i'm advantaged, but don't put me on a playing field that makes it harder for me to compete. i think what we have to do, we find businesses all over the country cutting their energy use, cutting their water use, increasing their profits by doing it. we have to lift them up, because they can show the way for other businesses that might be too small or too busy to realize the opportunities are there. >> what's your plan for the second term? are you sticking around? >> you know what? what i can say is i'm very committed to these issues. it's been 23 years since i started as a staff level scientists and we have so much work to do. >> if the opportunity presents itself, would you stay for the second term? >> i'm still committed to everything in terms of the environment. >> you can watch the full interview on cnn.com. i also sat down with ted turner, richard branson and former president jimmy carter.

we conducted a panel discussion talking about clean energy among other things. we'll roll out those interviews later in the weeks in the days to come. tomorrow my interview with president jimmy carter and his views on legalizing marijuana. new jersey's governor chris christie says he may have a challenger when his term is up. mayor cory booker is opening up as well as taking the food stamp challenge. wants that pink cas. and you really don't want to pay more than you have to. only citi price rewind automatically searches for the lowest price. and if it finds one, you get refunded the difference. just use your citi card and register your purchase online. have a super sparkly day! ok. [ male announcer ] now all you need is a magic carriage. citi price rewind. start saving at citi.com/pricerewind.

hugo chavez is back in cuba today for cancer treatment. he left caracas early this morning. he's been battling cancer for the past year and a half. he underwent surgery and radiation therapy before declaring himself cancer-free in july. before leaving chavez spoke publicly about his health. >> translator: unfortunately, this is how i am telling the country, that in that overall checkup malignant cells show up

in the same affected area. we have to review the diagnostic, the evolution of the treatment and we have had to check with experts and we have decided it's absolutely necessary and it is absolutely essential to undergo another surgery. >> newark mayor cory booker is on the sixth day of his food stamps challenge diet. he said on linked in he's getting tired of sweet potatoes and canned beans and vegetables. he's living for a week on new jersey's version on food stamp to call attention to the nutritional needs of low income folks. he said the program could be cut as politicians trying to cut spending in washd, and, of course, that worries him. another thing that worries him is the tax hike that will hit about everybody if we go off the so-called fiscal cliff. here's what he told cnn this morning. >> people who don't have the extra money to spend then hurt the stores they would shop at, the food they would buy and so on and so forth. this is a time in our fragile

economy we cannot have a government especially republicans holding hostage all of this country. >> booker also says he's trying to decide whether or not he's going to run for u.s. senate or governor. he told us this morning that governor christie is vulnerable it to a chal laeng because of his stand on the environment as well as women's issues. 16-year-old jgymnast gabby douglas catapulted in our hearts. in her new book she talks about how at one point right before the games she was ready to just forget the whole thing. now, something else a little different. listen to what she said. >> i wanted to quit right before the olympic games, and i wanted to work at chick-fil-a and join other sports like track and field. >> why? >> i was very homesick. my family came to iowa to celebrate christmas with me, and before i knew it was all said and done and went by so fast. they were ready on to pack up

and go back to virginia and i wanted to go with them because i was very homesick and wanted to go home because i missed it so bad. >> she says her brother was also an athlete talked her into sticking with it. good for you. president obama in michigan at the detroit diesel corporation. we're looking at remarks there. he's going to address middle class families. president talking about the economy and focusing on the expiring tax cuts as we near this fiscal cliff. we're going to bring their remarks live as they happen. first, christine romans has a look at what it would be like he if the country let those tax cuts expire, and we go off the so-called fiscal cliff. >> reality track says one in three homes sold short. right now you don't owe taxes on the forgiven debt. on the other side of the fiscal cliff you do.

it gives homeowners a tax break on unpaid mortgage debt and expires on december 31st unless congress acts. >> the average amount that homeowners are short in a short sale is $95,000. if this tax break goes away as part of the so-called fiscal cliff, those homeowners could be taxed on that $95,000 as additional income starting in 2013. >> how much homeowners will owe in taxes on that amount depending on the tax bracket they're in. on average it would be between 20 to $25,000. the banks have an extra incentive to stel short and absorb the loss. under the national mortgage settlement act that went into effect earlier this year, the nation's biggest lenders get a credit for short sales as a form of foreclosure relief. foreclosures sell for $3700 less than homes via short sale. as we near the fiscal cliff you could expect short sales jump more as homeowners look it to aavoid gigt hit with tacks and bankss with foreclosed prormts.

if we go over the cliff, the tax bill homeowners face with a short sale may be steep enough to walk away instead, and that would push foreclosure rates higher in 2013. for smart is the new rich, i'm christine romans. americans are always ready to work hard for a better future. since ameriprise financial was founded back in 1894, they've been committed to putting clients first. helping generations through tough times. good times. never taking a bailout. there when you need them. helping millions of americans over the centuries. the strength of a global financial leader. the heart of a one-to-one relationship. together for your future. ♪

♪ [ engine revs ] ♪ [ male announcer ] oh what fun it is to ride. get the mercedes-benz on your wish list at the winter event going on now through december 31st. [ santa ] ho, ho, ho! [ male announcer ] lease a 2013 e350 for $579 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer.

this mother stands to lose a lot of needed assistance if lawmakers fail to reach a compromise. no deal would mean no support for her son with special needs. renee marsh has the story. >> 11-year-old kara is reluctant to lie down on the examination table. he's still learning about compromise, something hard to come by in washington. he's autistic. he and his mother, lisa, depend heavily on state, local and private programs that get grants from washington. one state program helps pay for his special private school, a single mother of three, she

worried no deal on capitol hill could mean support services for children with special needs will dwindle or disappear. >> i he don't think we would be able to basically afford the kind of services that we have for him now at home. then there's the emotional consequence of that. >> her worst fear? not being able to provide what's needed to keep cara home and out of an institution. >> you have people around you who really understand your child and are really willing to support you and support you in keeping your child at home, and so the thought that some of that would go away and that we would have a difficult time maintaining him at home is is probably the most devastating thing. >> if there's no deal here, that could mean across of board cuts for agencies including the federal office of special education and rehabilitation servic services. it this fiscal year maryland, where lisa lives, received more than $300 million in federal

funds. the state board of education says just under 113,000 students depend on that money. maryland governor martin o'malley's office tells cnn cuts could mean less access to medical, psychological and counseling services and job training for special needs students. >> the top five grants that would be subject to sequester are title 1 grants to local education agencies that are for low income children basically and special education grants, head start, the nutrition programs for low income women and children, and public housing. >> it's frustrating to watch them just sort of posture constantly and not move in terms of being willing to negotiate. so it's almost as if they're not taking into account the stresses that middle income families are going through. >> for cara and his mom, not knowing exactly what will be cut

is just as troubling as the possible of the cuts. >> i think that's really the most terrifying thing for us. >> give me five, man. all right. >> renee marsh, cnn, washington. we're sitting by waiting for the president to address the economy at the detroit diesel corporation. that is a live event that's going to take place looking at pictures of air force one there. fog and rain impacting the president's trip from d.c. to detroit. we look at the weather that is impacting everyone across the nation. if you think running a restaurant is hard, try running four. fortunately we've got ink. it gives us 5x the rewards on our internet, phone charges and cable, plus at office supply stores. rewards we put right back into our business. this is the only thing we've ever wanted to do and ink helps us do it. make your mark with ink from chase.

social security are just numbers thinkin a budget.d... well, we worked hard for those benefits. we earned them. and if washington tries to cram decisions about the future... of these programs into a last minute budget deal... we'll all pay the price. aarp is fighting to protect seniors with responsible... solutions that strengthen medicare and... social security for generations to come. we can do better than a last minute deal... that would hurt all of us. starts with arthritis pain and a choice. take tylenol or take aleve, the #1 recommended pain reliever by orthopedic doctors. just two aleve can keep pain away all day. back to the news.

♪ ♪ glory to >> had a chance to attend that concert last night. the first family getting in the holiday spirit, the taping of the christmas and washington

concert, pretty cool. korean pop star psy was among the special guests, really stole the show at one point. the concert set to air later this month. meantime, first dog bo, the feature of the 2012 white house holiday card, pretty cool. professional artist la ressa cable designed this year's card. cable is a dog owner which is why she decided to feature bo. no sunny skies for president obama as he left for michigan today. he was met by fog, dreary weather as he boarded air force one. he's on the road to push his plan to avoid the fiscal cliff. where the skies any sunnier in detroit? want to bring in chad myers. just foggy through the. >> not foggy in detroit so much, but certainly it is cloudy. so, no, not sunnier. the fog was everywhere. like from maine down to atlanta. >> why? >> because there was so much humidity in the air, feels like spring out there now. skies cleared above.

when that happens, all of the cold air sinks to the surface and that cold air makes it -- the clouds on the surface, wall it fog, just everywhere. the visibility in d.c. was down to a quarter of a mile. some planes were very slow. trying to get back tonight, going to be very slow again. >> slow travel. >> the rain will be all the way from new york city down to the d.c. area later on tonight. here we go. that's what the rain looks like right now. rain in pennsylvania, west virginia, ohio, out to west, where the president is. it is clearing out but still cold, about 35 degrees in detroit now. and then farther down to the south, here, where we are, thunder and lightning around atlanta, georgia, now, the south and east of town. farther down to the south, still have a tornado watch in effect, there could be some storms that could rotate a little bit, but those big yellow flrb flashes see, lightning today. it is out there today. a spring type day out there today. make sure you stay inside when the sun approaches. there is nothing all that severe

going on right now there, but when it does, it can come very quickly and go very quickly too. but be in sight when that does come in the -- >> chad, do we expect this will impact travel as well? >> i think atlanta will be okay. we have 30 minutes to an hour there. you're going back up to d.c., new york city, when the skies start to cloud up and start to get visibilities down to half a mile, the planes have to separate more so the pilots cannot bump into another plane. don't want to be doing that. that does kind of reduce the number of planes that can get on the ground at any one time but you should be okay. >> good. hopefully not many delays. moments away from the president's live address on the economy. he's in michigan talking about the economy at the detroit diesel corporation. we'll bring you the remarks live as soon as they start. it's lots of things. all waking up. ♪ becoming part of the global phenomenon we call the internet of everything.

♪ trees will talk to networks will talk to scientists about climate change. cars will talk to road sensors will talk to stoplights about traffic efficiency. the ambulance will talk to patient records will talk to doctors about saving lives. it's going to be amazing. and exciting. and maybe, most remarkably, not that far away. the next big thing? we're going to wake the world up. ♪ and watch, with eyes wide, as it gets to work. ♪ cisco. tomorrow starts here.

humans -- sometimes life trips us up. and sometimes, we trip ourselves up, but that's okay. at liberty mutual insurance we can "untrip" you as you go through your life with personalized policies and discounts when you need them most. just call... and speak with a licensed representative about saving on your policy when you get married, move into a new house... [crash!] or add a car to your policy. don't forget to ask about saving up to 10% when you combine your auto and home insurance with liberty mutual. security, coverage, and savings. all the things humans need

to make our beautifully imperfect world a little less imperfect. call... and lock in your rate for 12 months. liberty mutual insurance. responsibility. what's your policy? president obama out promoting his plan to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff. he's taking his message directly to the american people. the president is taking a tour of the detroit diesel

corporation, that is in redford, michigan. the company is owned i did dahmdahmby dahmer, maked diesel engines. for the truckers who rely on diesel fuel, there might be a big change down the road. many believe that natural gas is the next big thing in long haul trucking. that story from torrey dunham. >> reporter: diesel is king here at the flying j truck stop near richmond, virginia. with it, nathaniel keating pushed his rig 3.5 million miles. >> you name it, i've hauled it. >> reporter: but truckers here don't have to look far to see the future. alone in a corner sits a new liquefied gas island. ong is cheap, cleaner and supporters say more plentiful than diesel. but there is a problem.

say you want to drive a truck like this coast to coast using only liquid natural gas. here's what you would be up against. these are the only open and public fueling stops across the country and they're actually only 30 of them. a tank of lng would take you about 700 miles, so going westward from washington, d.c., unless you go completely out of your way, you would run out of your gas just outside nashville. it is what the industry calls the chicken and egg dilemma. what comes first? new trucks or new pumps? the american trucking association's recently held a sold out summit about just that. >> it is going to happen. i promise you it is going to happen. >> reporter: texas oil man turned natural gas crusader, t. boone pickens says henry ford faced the same problem. >> if somebody said to poor henry, have you thought about it? you don't have any filling stations? he said, oh, gosh, i never thought about that. well, i'll forget this idea, that's not what he said. don't worry about it.

you'll get filling stations if the car shows up, the filling stations will come. >> reporter: by spring, the number of lng stops will skyrocket to about 150. but when they'll open is uncertain. you would think environmentalists would be thrilled at the prospect of replacing dirty diesel with clean natural gas. not quite. >> we think a rush to liquefied natural gas is a mistake. >> reporter: while natural gas may burn cleaner, problems arise when the gas leaks. >> the leakage of that gas itself is such a potent greenhouse gas, 70 times more potent than carbon dioxide, that undermines the greenhouse gas advantage. >> reporter: bottom line, the industry says lng is cheaper than diesel fuel. >> but i think it will work in the end. >> reporter: just a matter of time? >> matter of time. >> reporter: tory dunham, cnn, washington. "cnn newsroom" continues right now with brooke